Shoppers urged to read the tin when buying tuna to protect endangered fish species

SHOPPERS have been warned not to buy tuna caught using fish aggregating devices (FADS) amid fears for species such as the Indian Ocean yellowfin.

FADS use floating buoys or rafts, often tethered to the ocean floor, to cast shadows that attract fish towards nets which are ranged underneath.

Tuna packaging will specify how and where the fish is caught and Will Mccallum, of Greenpeace UK, said: “To avoid buying tuna that could be tainted with over-fishing, customers would do better to stick to pole-and-line caught tuna, which should be advertised on the can.”

Conservationists say Indian Ocean skipjack tuna is being over-fished but use of FADS also picks up tons of juvenile yellowfin. Tesco, the Co-op and Princes have all said they are cutting their intake of yellowfin amid concerns that stocks could collapse by 2026.

Mr Mccallum said that while companies taking voluntary steps was welcome, “unless they deal with the issue of young yellowfin tuna caught as bycatch ... they are simply tinkering round the edges”.

Princes announced it would halve its stock of yellowfin tuna and joined Tesco and the Co-op in calling for the intergovernmental body that oversees fishing in the Indian Ocean to act. The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission failed to announce new conservation and management measures at a meeting last month, blaming the pandemic.

A report from Blue Marine Foundation, a conservation group, showed the vast majority of yellowfin caught in the Indian Ocean are juveniles.

Both Blue Marine Foundation and Greenpeace have called for an emergency meeting to address over-fishing and form a recovery plan for yellowfin populations.

“This meeting must set dramatic reduction targets for the number of fish aggregating devices that vessels are allowed to use or the plan will not be effective,” Mr Mccallum warned.